Tumbleweed Tommy: Fashion Icon, Social Media Influencer, and Super Fan
The Man, The Myth, The Instagram Marketing Genius
BY DONALD C. CUTLER
CONTRIBUTOR
ISSUE 21, July 2023
In August of 2022, a 30-something Florida native started a new Instagram account. The concept was simple — a low-tech “fit check” by Thomas Perkins, a banker for a national institution with a taste for Western wear — and then it was everywhere. Within a few weeks, major names throughout Country music, rodeo and Western wear social media jumped on the Tumbleweed Tommy bandwagon and he was off to the races.
I remember the first time I watched his videos and said aloud, “This guy is a genius.” I watched each of his then 10 or 15 videos with a huge smile — both for his content and the universally positive responses he received in the comments.
His pure, unadulterated joy for the clothing and its place in American culture comes through as he carefully explains his outfits. Each detail — color, brand, where he got the piece is presented in a straightforward manner. His early videos could not have been less professional or polished — which only served to endear him to his followers — or at least to me.
Over the course of his meteoric rise, I have asked for at least three interviews. Now with more than 114,000 followers, strong sponsorship relationships and collaborators with rising Nashville stars under his custom-made Tumbleweed Tommy silver belt buckle, he agreed to speak with me.
This proud 2014 graduate of Harding University explained that he’s long thought about wearing Western wear, even before purchasing his first pair of boots in 2010. However, his current collection started in 2017 when he got his first full setup to attend his first rodeo. “I purchased another pair of cowboy boots — my Cody James square-toe boots — and I bought my first Western shirt, cowboy hat and Western belt with a big buckle,” he said. And after that, he was hooked.
A fellow Harding alum suggested that he take to social media to share his passion for Western wear. “She even coined my channel name, Tumbleweed Tommy,” he said.
Collabs out of Kindness
Kristen Foreman, a Nashville-based emerging Country singer with tens of thousands of regular listeners on streaming platforms and followers on social media, always liked Perkins and his posts — but her boyfriend is a super fan.
“I reached out to Tumbleweed Tommy because I was interested in purchasing a birthday shoutout for my boyfriend,” she told the Honky Tonk Times. “We got to talking and he took the time to check out my music. I thought that was really kind of him to do so I sent him some merch.”
Perkins sent a thank you message and informed Foreman that he was going to mention her during a new post. But he did more than that. He filmed a video in her merch. The outfit review —good for any outdoor summer or spring event, rodeo or concert — led to an immediate increase in Foreman’s social media followers and regular listeners.
“When I initially messaged him, I had no intention of promoting my music,” said the LSU Business Marketing grad earnestly — and frankly I believe that to be true. “Now we are Insta pals and go back and forth on Western fashion. I hope to meet him in person one day! He will for sure get a backstage pass.”
The Tumbleweed Process
“While I felt I would be successful at doing this, I never expected to get that many followers so soon,” explained Perkins. He started by looking for a new hobby to share his love of Western wear, hoping it might bring in a few dollars from sponsors.
Perkins credits targeted ad buys and boosted posts for his accent to social media fame in our small corner of the digital world. However, as someone who has used similar tactics to drive social media growth, I can say that is only part of the equation. His content remains fun and sincere, even as his comfort with the medium — and access to a tripod — has resulted in slightly better-produced videos.
Some of the best, most engaging videos provide a theme — cold weather ranch wear, summer concerts, or a Sunday best outfit for “church or a night on the town.”
“I pick the clothes that match the theme or that go with the item or items I’m emphasizing in a particular video,” Perkins explains. “I then gather the clothes and accessories I’ll need, put them on, and then I take my ring light camera stand and film the video outdoors, sometimes making the video in one take while sometimes needing several to get that perfect video.”
After he’s pleased with his product, he’ll nip and tuck the video to fit the 90-second Instagram limit, removing time from the front and back of the recording.
With hundreds of thousands of followers and significant sponsorship agreements, he has set his sights a bit higher than a simple hobby.
“My long-term goal down the road would be to become a full-time Western influencer and model.”
Hobby Turned Hustle
Perkins has amassed an impressive collection since 2017, 90% of which he says he has received since gaining some traction as an influencer. He told Honky Tonk Times that his collection is worth approximately $10,000.
“My favorite piece of clothing I’ve purchased would be my black Milwaukee pointed-toe cowboy boots from Dan Post,” he said of the kicks that have made regular appearances in his videos since the very beginning. “I’d say my favorite piece of clothing sent to me is my red embroidered Western shirt from Buckeroo Shirts.” In total, Perkins has 12 cowboy hats of various styles and 16 pairs of boots, and even more shirts, jeans and accessories.
Unsurprisingly, it’s not just about the clothing for him. He clearly enjoys the spotlight and positive attention he’s receiving. The reason the hustle works is Perkins hit a nerve at the right time. After years of being stuck at home with limited options for entertainment or reasons to get dressed up, this guy burst onto the scene with a “howdy” and infectious love for his hobby that can make anyone smile. And he was sharing a love for uniquely American clothing that somehow is completely foreign and comforting simultaneously.
That is his real genius. It isn’t the marketing play, the influencer status or anything else. His unpretentious, straightforward love — and the public’s acceptance of it for what it is — provides a much-needed and welcomed departure from the flamewars of who is and who ain’t Country commonplace on these platforms.
“Just be genuine and authentic,” he said in closing. “It will go a long way to being a success in whatever dreams and ventures you pursue.”
Check out Tommy Tumbleweed’s Western Fashion on Instagram @tumbleweedtommy